Device for digging ditches.



No. 708,395. Patentedsept. 2, 1902.

Q U. PETERSON Q. J. H. CLARK.

DEVICE FOR DIGGING BITCHES.

(Application filed Apr. 15,1901.)

2 Shdets-$heet I.

(No Model.)

No. 708,395 Patented Sept'. 2, 1902.

0. PETERSON &. J. H. CLARK.

DEVICE FOR DIGGINGYDITGHES. (Application filed Apr. 16, 1901.)

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-,Sheet -2.

UNirn' TATE ATENT rrrcis.

OSCAR PETERSON AND JOSEPH H. CLARK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DEVICE FOR DIGGING DITCHES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 708,395, datedSeptember 2, 1902. Application filed April 15, 1901. Serial No. 55,852.(No model.)

To all whom it may concern! Be it known that we, OSCAR PETERSON andJOSEPH H. CLARK, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, inthe county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain newand useful Improvement in Devices for Digging Ditches, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Our invention relates to digging devices adapted for digging ditches ormaking excavations for any purpose, and has for its object to produce anew and improved construction of this description.

Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein--Figure 1 is. a side elevation, with parts omitted, of a device embodyingour invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a viewin part section, showing one of the elevator-buckets. Fig. 4is a view showing one of the elevator-buckets when in its dumpingposition. Fig. 5 is a detail showing one of the cutting-blades.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several figures.

As illustrated in the drawings, the mechanism is carried by a movableframe or the like A,preferably mounted on wheels, so that it may beconveniently and easily moved. Upon this frame is preferably mounted asuitable motor B, which operates the mechanism. This motor may be of anydescription, and for the purposes of illustration we have shown it asconsisting of a steam engine and boiler. This motor also preferably actsto draw the mechanism along to feed the cutting-blades. Any suitablearrangement for this purpose can be used. As herein shown, a rope orother power-transmitting device B is connected to a fixed point ahead ofthe machine and passes over a suitable drum on the frame. Associatedwith this drum is a ratchetwheel B which is engaged by a pawl Bconnected with the motor. It will be seen that as the motor operatesthis ratchet-wheel is moved, and thus the machine is gradually drawnforward. A shaft- C is mounted on the frame A and is operativelyconnected with the motor. A swinging or movable support C is connectedwith the frame of the machine or the shaft C, to which are attached thearms C carrying the bearings for the screw or digging cross-bar D shaftsD. -This swinging support may be of any desired construction, and asherein shown consists of a channel-iron passing beneath the frame A andhaving its two ends bent at an angle to the main portion, as shown inFig. 1, the shaft C passing through said ends, so that the support isfree to swing. The shafts D are preferably divided, the parts beingconnected by a swivel or universal joint D. The arms C are connected tothe swinging support in any desired manner. As shown in Fig. 2, forexample, the swinging support is provided with a series of holes, andthe arms are preferably removably and adj ustably connected to thesupport by means of bolts or the like. By this arrangement it will beseen that these armscan be moved to and from each other, so as to varythe distance between the upper ends of the digging-shafts. Some suitablemeans is provided for operatively connecting the digging-shafts with theshaft C. Any suitable construction for this purpose may be used and asherein shown the digging-shafts are provided at their upper ends withbeveled gears D which engage beveled pinions C on the shaft C. Connectedwith the arms C are the rods D which are pivotally connected to the sidebars E of the elevator-frame. Said rods support the bearings D for thelower ends of the screw or digging shafts. We prefer to have the lowerends of these shafts adjustable, thus permitting them to be operatedwhen parallel to each other or when at an angle to each other and alsogiving a great range of adjustability, so as to vary the shape of thecut made by the machine. Any suitable means for this purpose maybe used.As herein illustrated, the rods D are connected at their bottom by theThe bearings D are rem ovably connected to this cross-bar by means ofbolts or the like, and the cross-bar is provided with a series of holes,so that these bearings may be adjusted along its length in any mannerdesired.

The digging-shafts D are provided with screw-blades D, which do not actas cutters, but which take the dirt orother material when out and conveyit toward the elevator, by means of which it islifted to the pointdesired. As herein illustrated, the screws D convey the materialdownward, and the diggingshafts are each provided with an additionalscrew D of a reverse pitch, which tends to lift the material, the twoscrews acting in opposite directions to bring the material to the samepoint. These screws are provided with a series of cutting blades orknives D knives are preferably detachably attached to the screwblades,as illustrated in Fig. 5. These blades, as illustrated, consist of twoparts at an angle to each other, one of which acts as the cutting edge,the other being removably attached to the screw-blade by means ofrivets, bolts, or the like. These cuttingblades maybe placed atdifferent angles and may be arranged differently and project differentlyat different parts of the screw. The cutting of the dirt or othermaterial is done by these cutting-blades, and the screw simply conveysthe loose material to apoint be tween the ends of the shaft, the screwDconveying the material downwardly and the screw D conveying it upwardly.This loosened material is then deposited in the buckets F of theelevator F, mounted between the side bars E. This elevator may be of anysuitable construction, and as herein shown consists of the side bars E,between which are mounted link belts, the buckets being connected withthese belts. The belts pass over the sprocket-wheels F and F Thesprocket-wheels F are connected with a shaft, which is operativelyconnected with the motor. These buckets, as illustrated in the drawings,are self-cleaning buckets. Great difficulty has often been experiencedon account of the fact that the material sticks to the buckets and isnot dumped at the proper point. By means of the improved bucket hereinshown such difficulty is obviated, for the bucket will be automaticallycleaned and the material forced out at the dumping-point. This bucketconsists, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, of the receptacle F, hinged to thebelt in any desired manner, as by means of the lugs F The outer ends ofthe buckets are held by means of pivot-braces F Each bucket is providedwith a movable back or cleaning part F which projects from the bucketand has a pivotal connection outside of the bucket to some suitablepart, which in the instance shown is the link belt. After the bucketpasses around the lower sprocket-wheels F it becomes filled withmaterial and passes up along the side of the elevator, with the back orcleaning part in the position shown in Fig. 3. When the bucket reachesthe dumpingpoint-that is, when it has passed around the uppersprocket-wheels F the curve of the belts forces the back or cleaningpart out, as shown in Fig. 4, and hence the material is forced out ofthe bucket and the bucket cleaned. Thematerial as it passes out of thebucket falls into the chute or trough G and is then conveyed to anypoint desired. If, for example, the device is used to dig material, suchas sand or clay, which is to be used at a distant point, it may bepassed into wagons,

These shaft.

cars, or the like. If the device is used in digging ditches forsewer-pipes,water-mains, and the like, it may be provided with aback-filling conveyer H, upon which the material is deposited. Thisback-filling conveyer is of such proportions as to permit the pipe to belaid between its discharge end and the digging-shafts, and the materialdug is again deposited in the ditch or trench, so as to fill it up,theprocess being continuou's,as illustrated in Fig. 1. This back-fillingconveyer may be of any desired description and is preferably pivotallyconnected tothe frame A and adjustably supported upon the standards H bymeans of a rope H which passes over a pulley'H attached to the conveyer,and over a drum connected with the standards H. This drum is providedwith suitable operating mechanism controlled by the handle H, by meansof which the conveyer may be raised and lowered, so as to vary itsposition. The upper end of the elevator is connected to the frame in anydesired manner. As herein illustrated, said upper end is supported bythe roller R or other suitable cross-piece, attached to the inclinedparts H, which extend from the standards 11 to the frame proper of themachine. As the elevator is moved upwardly it is free to move along thisroller or cross-piece, but is supported by it, so as to be held inproper position.

We have not claimed in the present application the bucket and conveyerillustrated and described, for the reason that such invention is theinvention of the said Joseph H. Clark, who has filed an applicationcovering the same.

When the self-cleaning bucket is constructed as shown in Fig. at, forexample, it will be seen that the movable back or cleaning part actsbefore the bucket reaches the chute G; but when the elevator is inoperation we have found that the material is thrown a sufficientdistance to insure its dropping into the trough G.

The digging-shafts and screws and elevator are controlled by means of aropeor the like I, connected to the cross-bar D and passing over thedrum I. This drum is rotated by means of the crank 1 connected on shaft1 which is operatively connected with the drum- It will thus be seenthat a rotation of the drum in one direction lifts the diggingshaft andassociated parts, thus adjusting their position and incline,as wasbefore stated. The digging-shafts and screws are adjustable to and fromeach other, so as to vary the space between them and their annularrelation.

The elevator F is operatively connected with the motor in any desiredmanner, as herein illustrated. A belt J connects the shaft J, carryingthe elevator sprocket -wheels, with an intermediate shaft J which isoperatively connected, by means of the belt J with the shaft 0. In viewof the fact that the elevator and the digging-shafts are moved so as torotate about the shaft 0 by the rotation of the drum 1' it is necessaryto provide some means of adjusting the belt J. As herein illustrated wehave provided a belttightener consisting of the wheel K, attached to thethreaded rod K, which works in a nut associated with the frame A. Itwill be seen that this tightening device permits the belt J to bearranged so that it will drive in any of their various positions. Whenthe device is moved from place to place, the elevator and digging-shaftsare moved upwardly to their upper limit, so as to be free from theground. In this position, and perhaps in other positions,it will benecessary to lengthen the belt Jbyinserting a piece therein. This can bedone when the device is a link belt by separating the belt where any twolinks are connected together and inserting a separate pieceof properlength in the opened space.

NVe have described in detail a particular construction embodying ourinvention; but it is of course evident that the form, construction, andarrangement of the parts may be greatly varied and that parts may beomitted and others used with parts not herein shown without departingfrom the spirit of our invention, and we therefore do not limitourselves to the construction shown.

The use and operation of our invention are as follows: When the deviceis being moved from place toplace, the digging-shafts and elevator willbe lifted, so as to be free from the ground. When the machine is movedto the place where it is desired to operate it, the digging-shafts arelowered, so that confact is made with the material to be acted upon. Themachine is then started up, and the weight of the parts forces thediggingshaft gradually into the material until a proper or desirableposition-such, for example, as that in Fig. lis reached. The machine isthen fed forward in any desired manner and by means of the ratchet-wheeland rope B, attached to a fixed point ahead of the machine. If thedevice is used simply to excavate the material, which material is to beused at a distant point, such material would be carried up by theelevator and deposited in the manner desired. If the device is used fordigging ditches, the back-fill- 'ing conveyer may be used, the loosematerial being deposited thereon and being then placed into the ditch,so as to refill it, as

shown in Fig. 1. the material to be acted upon and do all the cutting,and these knives may be removed and replaced or readjusted as the circumstances warrant. It will also be seen that hard material or softmaterial or material filled with roots or like obstacles can be easilyacted upon by means of the cutting-knife arrangement herein shown.

We claim 1. A digging device comprising a movable frame, one or moredigging-shafts connected therewith, said digging shaft or shafts eachprovided with a non-cutting screw for mov- The cu tting-knives engageing the material acted upon, and a series of cutting blades connected toeach of said screws.

2. A digging device comprising a movable frame, a motor mounted thereon,one or more digging-shafts adjustably connected with said frame andoperatively connected with said motor, each shaft provided with a screwwhich acts to transport the material acted upon, said screw providedwith a series of detachable cutting blades or knives which projectbeyond the edge of the screw.

blades which project beyond the edge of the screw, and means for movingsaid screws so as to change their angular relation.

5. A digging device comprising a movable frame, two digging-shaftssuspended therefrom, each provided with two screws of opposite pitchwhich engage the material to be acted upon so as to convey it toward .apoint between the ends of the shafts, said screws provided withdetachable cutting-blades, an elevator associated with saiddigging-shafts and adapted to receive the material from the screws andconvey it to a distant point.

6. A digging shaft comprising a shaft proper, a screw-blade connectedtherewith, a series of knives detachably connected with said screw-bladeand projecting beyond the edge thereof.

7. Aditch-digging device comprisingamovable frame, a motor mountedthereon, two digging-shafts movably connected with said frame andadapted to be moved to and from each other so as to vary the angularrelation between them, each shaft provided with a screw adapted toconvey the loosened material to agiven point, a series of detachablecutting-blades connected with said screw and projecting beyond the edgethereof, a conveyer adapted to receive the material from said screws andlift it to a given point, and a back-filling eonveyer adapted to receivethe material and deposit it in the ditch at a distance from thedigging-shaft.

8. The combination with a digging-shaft of a screw-blade connectedthereto, one or more knives consisting of two parts at an angle to eachother, said knife or knives connected with the screw-blade so as toproject beyond the edge thereof.

OSCAR PETERSON. JOSEPH H. CLARK. lVitnesses:

DONALD M. CARTER, FANNY B. FAY.

